Creamy Mushroom Wild Rice Soup
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When the weather starts to turn chilly, there’s nothing quite like a steaming bowl of soup to warm you up and satisfy your cravings. One soup that never fails to impress is the classic Mushroom Wild Rice Soup.
It’s a creamy, earthy concoction that combines the nutty flavor of wild rice with a variety of mushrooms, and it’s incredibly versatile, making it a great choice for vegetarians and vegans alike. Rich and creamy, this soup is perfect for any night you need a dinner the whole family will eat.
The beauty of Mushroom Wild Rice Soup lies in its simplicity. It’s made with simple ingredients that come together to create a flavorful dish. A dash of Worcestershire sauce, a pinch of salt and pepper, and the subtle fragrance of fresh herbs like sage and thyme all elevate this soup to greatness.
This soup is all about flavor!
Let’s start with one of the show’s co-stars: wild rice blend. Wild rice blend is often a mix with red rice, white rice, and other kinds of rice making this fairly affordable and totally delicious.
Unlike traditional white rice, wild rice is not actually rice; it’s a type of grass found in North America. What sets it apart is its unique, chewy texture and nutty flavor. Typically it’s harvested by hand and therefore fairly expensive, buying it in a blend cuts the price considerably.
When shopping for wild rice blends, you’ll find plenty of choices. Often they come in a large jar so you can see what you’re getting. These blends are readily available at your local grocery store or online. They offer a balanced flavor and texture, making them an excellent choice for Mushroom Wild Rice Soup.
Mushrooms are the other co-star of this soup; they infuse it with a deep, earthy, comforting, and hearty flavor. While you can use any fresh mushrooms you like, a combination of baby bella (cremini), shiitake, and oyster mushrooms is highly recommended. These mushrooms bring a variety of textures and flavors to the table, elevating the soup to a new level of deliciousness.
What do you need to make this soup?
These ingredients are readily available; you probably even have them in your pantry!
- butter
- carrots, chopped
- celery, chopped
- yellow onion
- cremini mushrooms, sliced
- garlic, minced
- wild rice mix
- chicken broth
- fresh sage
- fresh thyme
- salt
- black pepper
- Worcestershire sauce
- half and half
- cornstarch (optional)
- optional garnish, fresh parsley or thyme sprigs
- optional garnishes, extra mushrooms, shredded parmesan
- Dutch oven
- cutting board
- sharp knife
About those ‘Shrooms
You can use any fresh mushrooms you like, we use cremini because they’re readily available and fairly affordable in most grocery stores!
But try a combination of fresh cremini, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms is highly recommended. These mushrooms bring a variety of textures and flavors to the table, elevating the soup to a new level of deliciousness. Occasionally, I can find wild mushrooms at Costco, feel free to use those!
Don’t be afraid to experiment with different types of mushrooms. Porcini mushrooms, white button mushrooms, or even dried mushrooms like porcini can add unique flavors to your soup. Better yet use a mixture of your favorite mushrooms, sometimes you can get a chef sampler mushroom pack that has 3-4 different kinds of mushrooms in it. If you want to use dry mushrooms, here’s a nice sampler pack of dried mushrooms.
Or try growing your own?? These mushroom growing kits are tons of fun!
Want to use wild foraged mushrooms?
You should always positively identify any wild plants or fungus you want to consume. I recommend a foraging mentor if you can find one. A good mushroom identification book will help you get started on your own. Don’t buy THAT book go to your local bookseller and find one specific to your area.
What to serve with this soup
You can make homemade bread bowls or buy them at your local bakery. Try Garlic Knots for a quick and easy bread side. Or go budget and time friendly making peasant bread, it’s simple little recipe that makes tasty bread.
One more thought, Quick Dutch Oven Bread. When you don’t have days to plan, and you need to get bread going, this fabulous recipe makes crispy, flavorful bread everyone will enjoy.
Got leftovers?
Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It reheats beautifully, and it is actually better tasting the next day. Most soups are better after a day or two in the fridge.
Mushroom Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 1 cup carrots chopped (2-3 medium)
- 1 cup celery chopped (2-3 ribs)
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 8 oz. cremini mushrooms sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup wild rice mix
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1-2 sprigs of sage
- 2-3 sprigs of thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 Tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch optional
Instructions
- Heat butter in a large pot over medium heat, and add carrots, celery, and onion
- Sautee for about 3 minutes, until vegetables have begun to soften
- Stir in mushrooms and cook an additional 1-2 minutes
- Stir in garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds
- Add rice, chicken broth, salt and pepper, and worcestershire sauce, and stir together
- Add sage and thyme on top
- Cover and heat to simmering. Simmer for 35 minutes, until rice is tender
- Remove lid from pot, and remove sage and thyme
- Stir in half and half, (optional: dissolve 1 tablespoon of cornstarch into half and half before adding to hot soup to thicken)
- Serve as desired with garnishes such as extra mushrooms, parsley, thyme, parmesan
Haven’t made this YET, but it really looks tasty. Getting the ingredients tomorrow. (Big fan of mushrooms).